Momma just turned 46 recently. The kids are giving me some special cards they made for me.

Sweet hugs…Making cookies for Momma…

Beautiful scenery, we love the view up here more than the view of the lake. We love the country and the quiet, majestic beauty of it. This is the addition to our garden from last year. Our nice neighbors came and tilled this last year when I was pregnant with Benjamin. Now we get to work it. Dad transplanted strawberry plants so now we have around 550 strawberry plants. He transplanted raspberries, planted tons of spinach, collards and some other things… I’ll have to ask what else. Dad uses the sawdust that we had dropped off for free. He is using the “Back to Eden” Paul Gautschi method: http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/ It has made our soil tremendously dark and rich underneath. Dad and BenjaminMr. Blue Eyes

Usually when Spring comes, there’s a beautiful morning that beckons us to leave all inside and go for a long walk. This was just that day.Kids hugging Momma at the start of our walk. Matthew all perky and cute looking… And here we go…

Little Benjamin (the kids call him Bon Joo Mon), looking back at something. Running ahead…Picking pretty flowers…Daddy and BenjaminDaddy and MatthewLittle Leah showing her flower…Miriam’s pretty flowers…Resting under a tree before we head back…

Our neighbors gave us this rooster a few months ago. He’s a handsome thing. The chickens found a way out of the coop so they are trying to round them all up. Pretty Elisabeth.And here’s Mr. Handsome at almost 8 months old. Whatcha looking at little boy?Beautiful Hannah…The kids went on a spree of using tracing paper. I bought this roll of paper a couple of years ago for my dress patterns for the girls. However, I don’t like paper for patterns, I never have, so I am using muslim or another cheap fabric for patterns. It works great. So, the kids have been tracing things all winter long. : )Another picture with the same background but a prettier smile. You kids are growing up!Pretty ElisabethAnd here’s another one of Hannah. I guess we’ll have to call this The Hannah Post. Pretty girl. Little Miriam… She loves to color and play on the trampoline. We got a tiny duck egg. Usually they are pretty big but once in a while you get a small egg for some reason. The tiny duck egg, the regular duck egg and our hen’s egg.

I had to post each of these pictures so just bear with me. It was cold one morning so I found this hat on the floor and wrapped him up in a very special prayer shawl that my dear friend made for me while we were going through the high blood pressure, infected hand troubles after the birth of Benjamin. His eyes look so perfect.The big kids still play with the little kids… maybe because you all are still little. ; )

Here are some pictures of little Benjamin taken in early March at about 7 months.The next picture is his sister Leah at 1 year old. I sometimes see a resemblance between a couple of the kids with their pictures and like to compare. : ) Maybe it’s just the two front bottom teeth… Leah here was a little crabby on her birthday almost 6 years ago. Benjamin has gotten a little (ahem) crabby too at times…. especially when you take something away from him. Looking kind of cutzt. We say that word a lot around here. : ) Well hello there! Here he is in fascination about the camera. You can see that his eye ducts have never cleared up. He will be going in next month to have the procedure done to open them up. Let me know if any of you have had to have this done. I would love to be reassured. Wondering what the strange black thing with the light is that mommy is pointing at him. Drooling, teething baby. Our dear son whom we love with all of our hearts. You have just taken us both with your sweetness. We love having a baby more now than we ever have… not because you’re more special than the others (though you’re precious), we’re just getting older. : ) I never thought I would love babies so much as I do now. I was never a real baby person though I loved my babies dearly, but now I have the most tender spot in my heart towards babies… especially mine. Loving this blessing and trying to hold on to it as long as I can. I’m 46 years old today and there may not be anymore after little Benjamin.